Went to my dentist last week and again was encouraged to buy something besides my dental services. I already have the expensive electric toothbrush and the mouthwash that is only readily available through them from prior appointments. My college daughter went to our eye doctor and was sold a warmable eye mask, special non-fishy fish oil, and some other things totaling $70 for the trendy diagnosis of dry eye. She did not feel like she could say “no”. What is up with all this? Do we need to warn our young adults that just because a doctor recommends it, does not mean they “need” whatever it is?
Years ago, my dentist kept pushing not-so-pricey and pricey add-ons. I think it took me one or two (not-so-pricey) ones to figure out these were sales pitches and not professional medical advice.
Personally, I think it’s a terrible way to conduct a medical business. It’s not like dentists are minimum-wage workers or wait staff depending on tips and extra income to survive.
These days, if a medical professional tries to push add-ons on me without explicitly stating he/she is reselling goods to me and this is not of direct medical benefit to me, I start looking for a new provider for that medical service. I don’t feel I can trust someone to give me important medical advice that is in my best interest when they are also trying to use their position as a trusted source to sell me a $110 toothbrush.
My kids’ dentist has pushed products on us the last two or three visits - this is a guy who makes so much money he works only 3.5 days a week, has a nice mini-yacht, has 4 kids in private schools, and takes great vacations. I don’t begrudge him any of that, and I think he’s a great guy from what I can gather as the father of his patients. But now I know I can’t ever really know if he’s recommending something solely because it’s good for my kids teeth, or if he just wants to fund his next family vacation. When they called to ask if we wanted to schedule our c19-delayed teeth cleanings, I told them I found a new dentist for the kids. It’s not worth the aggravation and swarmy feeling I get from knowing that particular provider is behaving like a used car salesman.
I left a dentist a few years ago because I was tired of him constantly pushing unnecessary services and products.
Well said, @EconPop ! I too am looking for a new dentist. Hygienists should not be doing anything more than cleaning my teeth, but these seem to be setting me up for the big sales pitch. I suspect that also may be why the two I actually liked, have left the practice. I wish I could find out where they went!
Years ago I left a dermatologist because the office was full of posters for various cosmetic processes and services. I dont mind if a dermatologist offers them, but I wanted to feel like I was going to a medical doctor, to discuss a potential (then actual) melanoma, not a spa.
My current dermatologist has posters demonstrating sun damage, no fillers or the like.
Not at all. I always leave the dentist with a little treat-size bag of freebies (toothbrush, travel-size toothpaste, dental floss, etc.) – which I keep to use later for travel. I buy the pricey stuff (electric toothbrush, water flosser) from Amazon. The only time I bought any stuff was a specialty toothpaste called Livionex that’s supposed to be better at fighting plaque that I used to buy from my periodontist, but only because they sold it at a discount. ($20 per tube retail, $15 per tube direct from the periodontist).
Years ago I used to spend hundreds of dollars unnecessarily for eyeglass frames from my optometrist for me and my kids, but that was in the days before it became so easy to order online.
The only human healthcare provider who seems to have a lot of stuff on display is my chiropractor – all sorts of different pricey vitamins. But no pushing – and whenever I’ve seen anything that looked intriguing I have just written down the product name or snapped a photo of the product, and then go home and comparison shop online.
The vet clinic also has all sorts of pricey stuff as well as a high markup on prescription drugs… but again, the merchandise is available on Amazon and the drugs can be purchased online for at least 20% less.
Maybe they don’t bother with me because they know from experience that I’m not buying.
Our last dentist sold his practice to a guy that tried to push expensive add ons all the time. Had we not moved, we would have absolutely found a new dentist. He told my 17 year old D that she should get us to buy a $800 whitening program before her senior pictures. Um, no… And her teeth were and are beautiful.
I left an eye doctor for the same reason.
However, some dentists may be trying to pay off $400,000+ in dental school loans plus whatever it costs to start up a dental practice (or buy one from a retiring dentist) – probably another $400,000+.
Where I live, there are two major multispecialty medical groups that seem to have most of the market for medical care.
For primary colorectal cancer screening starting at age 50, the more expensive one favors colonoscopy. The less expensive one mails everyone a FIT kit.
Regarding dentists, there was this story last year about a dentist who bought a practice from a retiring dentist and found that the retiring dentist massively and expensively overtreated patients:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/2138800-dentist-buys-practice-from-retiring-dentist-and-finds-p1.html
Our orthodontist offered electric toothbrushes, but they were a very good deal. She was just trying to encourage good brushing.
Never had a dentist or eye doc push extras, except standard things like lens tinting, though they will answer my questions. The dermatologist (and staff) give me free samples, but never some heavy pitch to buy.
One handsome young guy took over my old dentist’s practice. The office was frank that he would not be writing off charges in excess of the assigned payment. (Yes, dental school debts.) It was a shame to lose him. But when D1 needed some big work, we moved to a more established practice.
Gynecologist- who I loved otherwise. Starting selling nutritional supplements, some medi-fast products for “cleanse” and rapid weight loss, pushing referrals to an herbal specialist conveniently located down the hall. I switched practices-- reluctantly- but just walking down the hall to the examining room and seeing the shelves of overpriced vitamins started to bug me.
Much happier now. And can buy vitamins at Costco.
My dentist sells nothing, mercifully. But the hygienist last year suggested some new orthodontic procedure-- I told the dentist when he walked in that I had braces from age 9-17 and had no interest in spending my 60’s involved in a “do-over” and that was the last time they pushed anything.
Doctors at our large medical group get additional payments for referrels to other specialists in their medical group. PCP wanted me to get a CT scan for a stomach ache. I told her I would call if it got worse, but it was gone within 48 hours. They are really, really pushy about seeing PT or OT within their medical group. They will make several phone calls even after I told them I was seeing someone outside their group. Rather than giving you a scrip for a procedure they will only give you the phone number for the appointment desk in their own group.
Slightly off-topic and probably more expected, but before COVID arrived, I felt that my hair salon got very aggressive about product pushing and up selling. Every time I would go there was some new, great product she would recommend, and she would always trot out the size that would last the whole salon a year. I’m sort of a sucker for products, so I would leave with it. My salon break during the first months of COVID led me to reconsider, and I actually wound up leaving that salon entirely.
I find this very interesting. Medical office are just small business. There are so many talks about medical retailing. Yes, the office can make a profit but it should be something that benefits you and that you see as a convenience. Yes, there is some upselling since doctor office aren’t used to it. But if it’s something your not interested in then just say so and leave it at that. All practices are seeing fees being reduced but yet rent still tends to climb. Again it’s just a small business. Any business is allowed to have internal vertical markets but again if it’s something that’s useful to the patient. Large mega practices tend to keep the referrals within. “You will see my partner or associate”. They are keeping the revenue internal. All the patient sees are fees. Take a look at what the eob (insurance forms) actually pay. Not crying about it but it does get tougher yearly for lots of practices. This is why your seeing practices all consolidating. Why your doctor just joined the “large” group. My practice is still a mom and pop practice and we get asked yearly to join the large ones. Nope. Not for us. But the things we retail have value for most our patients and some are just easier to get while your here then going to Walgreens. If it doesn’t add value to you then just say no.
The eye mask works well if you use it regularly (daily). It should be about $15 - about the same cost as a single bottle of lubricating drops. Vitamins can be costly. Chances are these were more because they are “special” and “non fishy.” As was mentioned above, you can probably find something very similar at Costco or Trader Joes. What are the other things that the eye doctor sold her?
Nope, my current MDs and dentist aren’t trying to sell us anything (tho the dentist did get us to get mouthguard from her). I’m a happy patient.
If it’s something I need, I don’t mind buying it from my stylist/dentist/etc. Happy to see them make a little profit off my purchase in these difficult times.
Our ophthalmologist is an old school guy. No sales of any kind. Only free samples of eye drops go home with us. Says we can get whatever fish oil at Costco. 
Can’t say the same about the dentist, so we are looking for a new one. He is definitely way past paying off his dental school loans, but he keep buying the latest and greatest equipment for his office. No, I do not need a $100 tongue cancer test that is not covered by my insurance.